


transform!!

by galaxyeyedrops



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 14:04:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14166483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxyeyedrops/pseuds/galaxyeyedrops
Summary: Years before he meets Ren Amamiya—before he meets Shido, Goro Akechi goes on a trip.(my piece for the goro akechi zine!)





	transform!!

**Author's Note:**

> special thanks to mauhan and yuu who made this all possible + worked tirelessly to make sure everything ran smoothly. y'all great.

A salaryman finishes his call with a frown. He grumbles, shoving his cell phone back into his coat. The pocket widens with the exaggerated motion, takes in the phone, but leaves something else behind. A thousand yen note flutters, eye-catching, before landing on the pavement.

To anyone besides the careful observer, it is quickly lost within the crowd.

A young boy approaches, clothes hanging off his frame. He looks around. The owner is long gone; the people walk on, oblivious.

With shaking fingers, the boy gently tucks the note into his own pocket.

Today is his lucky day.

 

The Home doesn't hand out presents, much less allowances. Year after year, Goro watches the caretakers scold the new kids for being too greedy. Year after year, he watches the owner drive away in a brand new car.

The few that do get money— get it from their parents. They walk out of the conference room, smiling, only for the older kids to quickly snatch up their gifts. They get used to it after a while, handing over the cash reflexively when they hear footsteps approach.

The rest search the streets for change. They scavenge through parking lots, duck under skirts for that prized hundred yen coin. They always lie at first; _I didn't find anything, believe me_. But they soon end up like the others, compliant, flinching whenever they hear the sound of footsteps.

 

But Goro isn't like them. He's different. He's _smart_.

Goro shows off his earnings. He tucks a couple of coins into a pocket and lets them jingle enticingly, for anyone to hear. When the bullies approach, he makes a show of emptying both pockets, coins clattering to the ground, greedily snatched up. Goro cries, all hitching sobs and overflowing tears, as they leave.

He smiles to himself when he's alone. Feels along the waistband of his shorts to a barely noticeable bump—where cash and coin are wrapped tight in an old napkin.

 

The Hero Action Show is a Dome Town staple. People from across Tokyo flock to the attraction in hopes of seeing their favorite heroes live. And Goro is no different.

The train ride, itself, isn't long. Station to station, Shinjuku and Suidobashi are only fifteen or so minutes apart. The walk from the Home to Shinjuku Station is about ten minutes. Suidobashi Station to Dome Town is even less.

The time-consuming part isn't the ride, but the preparations beforehand. Goro methodically hides each and every one of his possessions; the first time he was taken in by a foster family (and subsequently returned), he found that what little he had was quickly divided up among the other kids. One day isn't anything close to that amount of time, but considering that it's Sunday, Goro's not taking any chances.

 

He sets everything away quietly, leaves even quieter, stopping every so often to make sure that nobody is watching, that none are following.

His body thrums with nervousness through the ride there. He finds himself tapping out a familiar tune against his knees, humming softly to calm himself until the train slows to a stop. The flashing board switching the next destination to Ochanomizu as he steps off.

 

Half of the train empties out alongside Goro. Children dragging their parents, friends laughing with friends, couples holding hands; they all make their way towards the amusement park.

The attractions are immediately visible from the station. Goro mentally goes over each one: a large centerless ferris wheel with roller coaster tracks running straight through, a drop tower reaching higher than both, right in front. And last but not least the stadium, the dome itself.

Admission to the amusement park itself is free but the attractions themselves cost quite a pretty penny.

 

Goro is careful when he lays his bundle at the ticket counter.

"The Featherman show, please." He says, pushing his reservation voucher forwards, along with his thousand yen bill and a collection of a hundred yen coins.

The clerk counts his money quickly. She hands him his ticket and receipt, smiling as she notices where his attention wanders. "The Ride 5 for children is only a thousand yen more," she tells him. "We're running a special right now."

Goro bites his lip. The roller-coaster passes ahead, people inside screaming in joy.

"Okay," he says after a moment and adds a few more coins to his total.

 

Goro had reserved a seat on one of the afternoon shows. It wasn't easy of course, he had to get a local university student to make the call for him, putting on his most pitiful face, but it was well worth it in the end. The blow to his pride was just one among many.

Goro spends his time waiting for the stage show by making good use of his ride pass. He's too short to ride the roller-coaster or go on the drop tower, but everything else? Fair game.

He's standing in line for the Skyflower, watching as the canopy topped gondolas float through the sky when he hears someone crying. Goro turns around quickly to get a better view.

 

A boy, a couple years younger than himself, wails loudly. There are a few adults nearby, sneaking glances. But other than that, the crowd walks on, uncaring.

Goro considers his options for a moment then sighs, abandoning his spot in line and making his way up to the other boy.

He approaches him slowly, deliberately loud footsteps to make sure the other notices. "What's wrong?" He asks once he's in the boy's line of sight.

The child sniffs, unleashing a new round of wails, a slight murmured _mommy_ the only thing Goro can make out.

 

It's enough.

 

"C'mon," Goro tells the kid, hand outstretched. "Let's find her."

 

They search throughout the park, Goro dutifully checking and double checking every single line for any signs of the child's mother. The child drags him by the hand, causing him to bump into more than a few people (staff included) much to Goro's mortification.

And once they've exhausted the list of attractions, both indoor and outdoor, the boy finally lets Goro take him to the information desk.

The child's mother is already there, they find. She waves her hands as she talks, indicating a height to the security guard beside her. Her face lights up at child's cry, arms spread wide when he leaps into them.

Goro watches them, alone and forgotten.

 

He turns around and slowly makes his way to the theatre complex.

He's one of the first in line. The show doesn't start for another hour or so, but Goro waits patiently, watching the audience from the previous show leave, and grabbing one of the front row seats when he's finally let in.

The spots next to him fill up quickly, Featherman fans of all ages chatting excitedly. The theme song begins playing, sending a resounding _hush_ through the theater, and with the rise of the curtain, it begins.

Red Hawk is the first on the stage. He monologues, summarizing the events of the past few episodes. He wrings his hands as he talks about his villainous ex-lover, crosses his arms as he plots their next move.

The music swells as monsters surround him. Tempo rising as they fight. It's only after they all lie at his feet that Red Hawk realizes that he wasn't the only one targeted. It's only when he tries to contact them, does he realize they've been kidnapped.

Seconds later, a message comes in, from the monsters themselves. A hostage exchange, it proposes, the evil robot general in exchange for his friends.

The crowd shouts at this. Some yelling at Red Hawk that he can't hand the general over. Others cheering for him to rescue his friends.

Red Hawk ponders over his choices. The play calls for an intermission.

 

Few people leave their seats, watching with ravenous eyes as the staff brings out a box full of prizes.

They announce each prize, describing the purpose before randomly picking an audience member to receive it. They work their way up, starting with licensed snacks, the expensive toys saved for later.

"A Cross Changer!" The emcee says, holding up the last item. "The device that transforms the team into Feathermen!"

A wave of arms go up at this. The emcee scratches his chin before pointing at a random spot, the light following—landing directly on Goro.

 

He points at himself immediately, mouthing the words he can't voice, grinning ear to ear when the emcee verifies. Some parent tries to deter him, stepping forward with their own kid, only backing down when the staff interferes.

 

There's a spring in his step as Goro makes his way down. Confusion in his eyes as a man slaps a sticky note on the box and holds a finger up to his lips.

At his seat, Goro inspects the paper. There's a drawing of two children, the shorter with large teardrops on his cheek. The taller leads him by the hand.

_For a hero,_ the words underneath read. Goro carefully folds it up and tucks it into his pocket.

 

It's a crinkled mess by sundown. The paper is repeatedly bent and unbent along its lines throughout the day. The image itself, however, rings clear and unforgotten.


End file.
